


Warrior... Amazon... Cop... M.E.

by Rizzoli66



Category: Rizzoli & Isles, Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-01 10:36:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5202668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rizzoli66/pseuds/Rizzoli66
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane is conflicted. On the one hand she loves Maura and knows that love is returned, but something is holding her back. Can some advice from a couple of ancient Greeks get them together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a crossover between R&I and X:WP, the similarities between these two shows have always interested me, so I thought it was about time I wrote about it. 
> 
> This is basically a fluff piece with no complicated plot, it’s just an excuse to get Jane and Maura together. In later chapters I’ll tell how I think Xena and Gabrielle became lovers but this first chapter is all Jane. Enjoy. Kxxx

If you cut Jane Rizzoli in half, she would have the word cop running through her in aggressive block capitals, which was why she was chasing a man – well boy really - through the deserted back streets of Boston before she’d had her morning coffee. And if there was one thing that really pissed her off more than having to sprint after too little sleep, it was doing it uncaffeinated. But she had sworn to protect and serve, so when she’d seen her favourite provider of said caffeine being robbed at knifepoint that chilly morning, Jane didn’t hesitate. The yelled “Police, drop your weapon,” was out of her mouth as soon as she’d seen the dawn sunlight glinting off the blade. The perp looked young enough for Jane to want to ask him if his mother knew he was out so early, and was certainly stupid – or high – as Lilly would only have a few dollars in change this early in the day. His head snapped up at Jane’s shout and his eyes widened as the word police registered. The knife fell to the ground, he shoved Lilly away and took off as if the hounds of hell were after him. He might have been safer if they were, lack of sleep, no coffee and unexpected exercise made Jane Rizzoli bitchier than any of Satan’s little puppies. 

She ran after him, marginally slowing as she passed the coffee cart owner. “You okay, Lilly?”

“Yes, yes I’m fine, just go get the bastard.”

Jane nodded and sprinted away. 

 

**10 minutes earlier...**

She was walking aimlessly at godawful o’clock after yet another night of waking frequently from half remembered dreams, some of them nightmares but all of them had one thing in common – Maura. 

Without her realising it, Jane’s feet were treading the familiar path to Lilly’s, a coffee cart on the edge of the market that opened early for the market porters, it served a decent cup of Joe with a side order of advice for those that needed it. And Jane sorely did, although she convinced herself that she was only seeking Lily out for the coffee. 

The possible reasons for her sleeplessness were numerous, from a loving but overbearing mother, to PTSD from the kidnappings/Hoyt/self-inflicted GSW that had happened over the last few years, but recently the lack of sleep was due to one 5 foot 5 honey-blonde M.E.

Jane and Maura had always been close, Jane was never sure why, on the surface they had little in common. From an awkward, hostile – on Jane’s part – first encounter they became very close very quickly and apart from a few days of hell after Jane had put a bullet in Maura’s mob boss father, it had stayed that way. And that was fine, great in fact, Jane loved having a best friend, especially one as kind and clever and adorable as Maura Isles. Her social awkwardness brought out a protectiveness Jane didn’t know she possessed and her _Mauraness_ produced another swell of feelings, ones that both surprised and scared Jane. But that was okay too, she could keep a lid on the love/lust combination that her best friend caused on a regular basis as long as it was one-sided but then the flirting started. And Jane was simultaneously in heaven and hell.

When it came to attracting a mate, Maura Isles didn’t do subtle. Though fortunately she had the good sense to control herself until they were alone, if Frankie or worse yet, Jane’s ma, caught them then everyone would know. Jane wasn’t sure what to do about the situation but she did know she needed to process it alone without the Greek chorus joining in. 

The first thing that alerted Jane to Maura’s change in feelings was a button, a normally insignificant detail but, being good at her job, Jane often unconsciously took in insignificant details that turned out to be vital in nailing a killer. This time however, it was the item that glued the whole ‘case’ together. The case of the flirtatious Dr Isles.

Hitherto, Maura had worn a seemingly infinite variety of attire, but lately all of her upper clothing had buttons. While at work and in public only the top one or two were unfastened but once she and Jane were alone, another would spontaneously become undone. That third little disc invariably showed a tantalising glimpse of cleavage and was the difference between respectable and risqué, it unfailingly grabbed Jane’s attention and made her fingers twitch. But the question of whether they wanted to refasten it or free a few more of its colleagues was one Jane refused to answer. 

Intense, longing looks and gentle touches from her friend were also becoming increasingly frequent and it was all getting really difficult for Jane to cope with. Jane freely admitted that she loved Maura but had always glossed over the fact that she was _in_ love with her as well. That small word made a world of difference, a world that was full of wonderful but terrifying possibilities. So Jane buried the feelings deep inside next to the trauma of her gunshot wound to the stomach and her fear that, despite killing the scum herself, Hoyt was still out there somewhere planning his next attack on her. She carried on with her life, doing her best to clear the streets of killers and spending the rest of her time with Maura, but with the lack of sleep she was running on empty and something had to give.

Jane had denied her own sexuality in the past. The sports-loving, pants-wearing, butch cop was such a _cliché_ that she’d swallowed down any same sex attraction and gone out with guys. It was so much easier with the added bonus that it kept ma off her back, but it wasn’t an option now. Although she’d smiled and made nice with Jack, it had almost killed her to see Maura with someone else and she had fallen to her knees – metaphorically – with gratitude when he’d suddenly exited the picture a few months ago. Admittedly she’d felt guilty at her rush of joy over his departure but it had given her a legitimate excuse to hug her best friend and Maura hadn’t seemed that upset at his leaving. The flirting began a couple of days later and Jane couldn’t help thinking the two things were linked. The inability to get a decent amount of uninterrupted sleep showed up the same night. Now that Jane knew Maura reciprocated her feelings, either of them dating anyone else was unthinkable, but something was holding her back and not knowing what was driving her crazy, hence the early caffeine quest and her unwelcome sprint through Boston.

 

**Present time**

The perp either didn’t know the city well or was scared witless by having a cop on his tail, he had run into a long abandoned industrial area. The wide streets gradually narrowed to dim alleys lined with empty auto shops and engineering units. His luck really ran out with his last turn, the alley was strewn with the corpses of rusting cars and ended in a high, smooth wall. He ran his hands over the cold concrete, as if hoping a door would magically appear if only he could press the magic brick but it remained solid. 

Jane jogged to a halt a few yards in front of him, they were both panting heavily, she rested her hands on her thighs to help ease her breathing, never taking her eyes from the perp. 

“Okay asshole, assume the position.” Jane wheezed out. She straightened and reached for her gun only to remember that it was still locked in the drawer of her nightstand. The kid was unarmed and could only have weighed 135 pounds soaking wet, confident she could take him if it came to a fight, Jane tugged the cuffs from her belt. She confidently strode up to the boy, he really was young and Jane could see fear on his face and his eyes were pinpricks. Oh great, he ,em>was high. She was feeling fragile this morning but she forged on, perhaps the inevitable confrontation would work off some of her frustration.

She was close enough to touch him now, she reached out and grabbed a hold of his wrist. In the blink of an eye, the fear on his face morphed into a sly smirk and he exploded away from the wall, giggling manically. He wrenched his hand away from Jane’s, leaving thin, bloody tracks on his wrist and palm proving that even short, practical nails can do damage. His shoulder slammed into her chest and she stumbled backwards, slipped on a piece of exhaust pipe and crashed to the ground. Her head bounced off the wing of a burnt out car on the way down and Jane was sucked into blackness. Just before her eyes closed, she noted it was one she’d lusted after in high school, a Starsky and Hutch Ford Torino.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A certain Warrior Princess and her Bard make their debut in this chapter and Jane meets them at an awkward moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meant to say this last time but my memory is like a .... you know, thing with holes in... use it too drain the veggies.... SIEVE! That’s it. Anyway, if you’re familiar with the X:WP episode titles you’ll have spotted that the name of this fic is a rip-off... erm homage to some of them. It will be sprinkled with both R&I and Xena references and is set somewhere in the 6th season of R&I, after Bassholes and before A Bad Seed Grows. As for where it fits into the Xenaverse, it’s after One Against An Army and before the Indian arc.

Jane clawed her way back to consciousness. Her head was throbbing like hell and she swallowed down the nausea that threatened to empty her stomach. Blinking her eyes open, the first thing Jane noticed was a blurry green stalk in front of her face. Grass? She’d been knocked out in a dirty alley where even weeds were afraid to grow, so where was she? Jane lifted her head and looked around her astonishment growing by the second. She was on a patch of grass by the side of a dirt track, behind her were trees and civilisation was... nowhere in sight.

“What the...?” Jane clambered to her feet, staggered a little but managed to remain upright. She tentatively touched her head just above the temple and the pain nearly forced her back to the ground. Her hair was wet and her fingers came away sticky with blood. “Son of a _bitch_!” That little punk was going _down_ when she caught up with him. 

A low rumbling sound made her head snap to her left, the world – and her stomach - span lazily for a few seconds. Once they had settled again, Jane could see a horse drawn cart rolling towards her. It was like something out of a Wild West show, made from badly fitting, rough, planks and even the wheels seemed to be made from a sheet of wooden planks cut into a coarse circle. The driver’s clothing was equally old-fashioned and homespun but definitely not western; there wasn’t a Stetson or waistcoat in sight. He had on beige, loose fitting trousers and a light blue, lace-up shirt. His ‘hat’ was a piece of purple and green striped cloth wound round his head. 

Jane looked him and the cart over thoughtfully, perhaps there was some sort of renaissance fair happening today, although Maura hadn’t mentioned it and that was just the sort of thing that she loved to drag Jane along to. That must be it, the perp had dumped her in the woods and there was a re-enactment of some kind going on. The fact that the guy was a skinny, little runt and the alley several miles from the nearest green space totally eluded Jane, but then she did have the mother and father of all headaches. Jane stepped into the path of the cart and held up her bloodied hand.

“Hey, excuse me sir but can you tell me where I am?”

The driver smile genially, if he noticed the blood he gave no sign. “Afternoon neighbour. This is the road to Athens,” he pointed ahead, “it’s about two candle marks thata way.”

Jane had to give it to the guy, he was determined to stay in character even when faced with a blood smeared stranger. “Of course it is.” She muttered under her breath as she stepped to one side. The cart rumbled on and she half-heartedly returned the driver’s cheery wave.

She started to get a handkerchief from her jacket pocket to mop the blood from her head but couldn’t find the opening and the material felt odd. With a modicum of dread and a muttered ‘what now?’ Jane looked down at her clothes. She was sporting a pair of trousers similar in style to the carter’s but hers were a rusty brown, and the leather boots peeping out bore little resemblance to the battered sneakers she remembered lacing earlier that day. The shirt was a browny-green and somehow comfortingly familiar. She frowned, how could a colour be comforting? Just how hard did she hit her head? Jane stared at the shirt, willing the answer to come to her. Then it hit her. “Oh, come on!” It was the exact colour of Maura’s eyes.

Jane sat down to think, well her legs started to buckle and she just went with it. As a child, Jane had been very interested in Greek myths and legends – for all of one summer. It was her guilty pleasure to escape from the reality of two annoying, younger brothers and a prying mother into another world where men fought Gods and monsters lurked around every corner. She raided the library frequently and greedily absorbed the tales before sleep each night. The good versus evil stories made a deep impression on her young mind and they were part of the reason she became a cop. Then Geena Antonelli, her current best friend, came back from vacation and the obsession was forgotten. But that cart and the clothing she was sporting were straight out of a picture from one of those books.

Feeling steady again and for want of anything better to do, Jane got to her feet, picked a direction at random and began to walk. As she ambled, she began to process her current predicament. She couldn’t really be in ancient Greece, this was real life not a TV show, she decided she must be unconscious in that alley and so, and this was a weird dream. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were role-playing. It was Gabrielle’s idea of course, Xena was content with just getting naked and passionate in their bedroll every night but her bard had different ideas. Playing Warlord and Virgin was the latest and not one that Xena was entirely comfortable with, but she was so grateful that this beautiful young woman actually loved her that she was prepared to do anything that made Gabrielle happy. And the added bonus was that Gabrielle’s ideas usually made them both very happy.

Playing the role of warlord came easily to Xena, having spent a decade terrorising a large part of the known world she had a wealth of experience to draw on, but there was a fine line between play acting and reverting to her former self. Fortunately her initial fears were unrealised as her iron will was keeping the bad girl firmly in place and she found she was actually enjoying herself. Gabrielle was convincing as the petrified maiden and the mixture of fear and arousal simmering in those enticing, green eyes was making Xena weak-kneed with desire.

“Help! Help!” Gabrielle yelled while beating futilely against Xena’s chest. 

Xena hands were firmly grasping Gabrielle’s hips and they tightened as a particularly enthusiastic blow hit her collarbone with enough force to bruise but she rallied heroically and one hand began to inch upwards towards a plump, full breast. 

“No point in calling for help, there’s no one around to hear,” she growled, then mentally added. _I hope, or this is going to get really embarrassing_ , “I _am_ going to have you so you may as well stop struggling and enjoy it.” 

Gabrielle did indeed stop and, pulling back slightly, looked Xena in the eye. “Really? You think an innocent would enjoy being ravaged by a brute like you?” 

Xena had been on the verge of ripping off Gabrielle’s top – well carefully untying it, she made that mistake before and the tongue-lashing she’d received was entirely the wrong sort –and she chaffed at the delay.

“Seriously? Now? You want to discuss the dialog now? We were just getting to the good bit.” 

Xena could see the dilemma on Gabrielle’s face, she chewed on her bottom lip as the pedantic bard warred with the need to have Xena’s callused but gentle hands on her breasts. Her libido won and she resumed pounding Xena’s chest.

“No, no. Lemme go, take your hands off me!” 

Through the trees, Jane Rizzoli’s head snapped up. She heard a plaintive cry for help and she started to run towards the sound, automatically groping for a gun she didn’t have. It only took a few seconds for her to reach the outskirts of the clearing where Xena and Gabrielle were engrossed in their game. To an outsider, it did look as if a tall, dark woman was forcing her attentions on a young girl, so it was understandable that Jane ploughed into the clearing to her aide.

“Get your hands off her!” Without breaking stride, Jane crashed into a surprised Xena and shoved her away from Gabrielle. Whereas the impetus merely made Xena take a side step, Jane had to practically dance on the spot to keep upright, her head protested and the ground pitched like the deck of a storm tossed ship beneath her feet. She glanced to see if the young woman was okay and when the two blonde figures merged back into one Jane glowered at the tall woman. “Geeze, she’s just a kid too. Leave her alone you pervert.”

The woman was fast, Jane had to concede that. One moment the tall warrior was glaring at her, hands by her sides, the next she had Jane pinned to a tree with a knife at her throat, twin blue fires scorching her with a look of hatred.

“What did you call me?” She growled, pressing the dagger to Jane’s throat with just enough force to break the skin.

Jane stared back defiantly but she could feel her strength ebbing away, she’d just about reached her limit for the day. The uncaffeinated sprint through the unsavoury part of her hometown, the confrontation with a drugged up kid leading to her head injury, and now she was pinned to a tree by an ancient Greek, warrior woman. It was all too much and her over-taxed brain decided it was time for a break, her eyes fluttered shut and she sagged at the knees. Xena instinctively dropped the knife and caught her, lowering Jane to the ground and propping her against the tree trunk.

Gabrielle walked over and they both looked down at the stranger.

Xena glanced at Gabrielle. “Wonder why she fainted.” 

“Well you did have her pinned to a tree with a knife at her throat.” Gabrielle pointed out.

“No, she’s a warrior, there was no fear in her eyes.” Xena knelt beside Jane and began to run her fingers gently through the long, dark hair to feel Jane’s scalp.

Gabrielle swallowed down an irrational pang of jealousy. “What are you doing?”

“Checking for... yeah, thought so. There’s a lump the size of a goose egg here.” She parted the blood-soaked hair and found the skin split but not bleeding. Effortlessly, Xena hoisted Jane’s inert body over her shoulder, strode across the campsite and deposited her on their bedroll. 

With a mischievous glint in her eye she said. “Well at least I got one woman in our bed today. Fancy a threesome when she wakes up?” 

Gabrielle snatched up her staff and advanced threateningly on a grinning Xena, who held up her hands in peace. “Joke, love. Just a joke.”

“Good! Because I don’t share. Ever!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little of Gabrielle and Xena’s backstory and Jane thinks she knows why she’s in Ancient Greece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter is so long, it kinda got away from me. I blame Gabrielle, that girl sure likes to chat.

Jane awoke for the second time with her head throbbing. She opened her eyes slowly, her vision was blurred and the sun was shining directly in her eyes, so when she saw light coloured hair surrounding a feminine face she assumed she’d woken up from her dream and reached out to her friend.

“Maur?”

Her hand was instantly slapped away and her heard a loud, indignant “Hey!”

Jane recognised that voice and sat bolt upright, making her head throb harder. She moaned and cradled her head in her hands, inadvertently poking the wound and making throwing up in front of two strangers a real possibility. 

Gabrielle turned to her partner. “Did you have to do that?”

“I don’t like my girlfriend being groped, okay?”

“It was hardly groping, Xena.”

Jane fell back on the animal fur bedding with a groan, stopping the bickering. Xena went over to Argo’s saddlebag and began to hunt for something.

“Are you okay?” Gabrielle asked Jane solicitously. 

“No, I’m still in ancient Greece.” Jane groaned.

“Well modern day Greece actually.” Which from Gabrielle’s point of view it was. “Where did you think you were?”

Jane gave this some thought, she’d had seen enough TV shows and movies to know she needed to be economical with the truth, she didn’t want that tall woman turning violent again. 

“Not really sure, the bump I took to the head is making thinking a little difficult.”

“Here, have a drink.” Gabrielle offered Jane the waterskin, she looked at it cautiously but her thirst won out and she took a reluctant sip. The water was slightly warm and leathery tasting but at that point Jane would have even welcomed Maura’s ‘panda poop’ tea, she drank deeply then handed it back. “Thanks.” 

Jane looked over at the warrior then at the ‘girl’ sitting beside her who was now showing no sign of her earlier fear. She was older than Jane first thought, at least 20. She struggled to her feet and walked over to where Xena was putting what looked like dried herbs into a cup then adding water from a second waterskin, she crouched beside the warrior and said. “Look, I’m sorry about what I said earlier, she really did look like a child. Can we start over? I’m Jane.” 

Xena searched her eyes and Jane felt like she was undergoing a test, she returned the gaze steadily and for a few seconds there was absolute silence, then the woman nodded. “Apology accepted, drink this it’ll help with the headache. I’m Xena and short-stuff over there is Gabrielle, she’s a bard.” Xena said the last part with pride.

Jane took the cup absently and took a sip. “Bard?” The term was vaguely familar. Maura had been talking about Shakespeare and, although Jane had tuned out after a few sentences distracted by the movement Maura’s mouth, she was certain Maura had used that word about good ol’ Will. Mmmm, Maura’s mouth was perfect, Jane was lost just thinking about how soft it would feel against her own.

“Yes, MY bard.” Xena said sharply. She had moved to sit beside Gabrielle and had a possessive arm slung about the younger woman’s shoulders.

The tone jolted Jane back to the present - or maybe the past, she realised she’d been unconsciously licking her lips and gazing in Gabrielle’s direction. Those startlingly blue lasers were aimed at her again. “Oh crap!” She gulped and rubbed her hands over her face, causing her head to throb again. 

When Jane lifted her head to explain Xena ignored her and looked at her partner. “I’m going to get something for dinner.” 

“Okay, anything but rabbit, please. I’m starting to get a twitchy nose.”

Xena chuckled. “Sure Gabrielle, I spotted boar tracks earlier. How does pork sound?”

“Oink?”

They both grinned, then hugged and Xena bent to whisper in Gabrielle’s ear. “Keep an eye on her and behave yourself.” She tapped the bard’s nose and jogged out of the clearing and into the trees, her brown leathers blending into the woods making her impossible to spot. 

Gabrielle stared after her, the buzz she’d gotten from Xena’s hug had evaporated with her parting shot and Gabrielle was NOT a happy camper. Okay so she was naturally trusting and in the past had been sweet-talked into poor choices by people with an ulterior motive, but she had grown up a lot in recent weeks and now she and Xena were together Gabrielle wasn’t about to do anything to jeopardise their relationship. And it wasn’t like Xena didn’t have people drooling after her everywhere they went. Anyway, Gabrielle wasn’t sure that the lustful look on Jane’s face was aimed at her. Jane had been preoccupied and Gabrielle was certain that Jane just happened to be looking in her direction. 

Jane sat quietly for a few moments, drinking the concoction that Xena had given her and letting the situation sink in. She was dreaming, of that she was fairly certain, she couldn’t have actually gone back to ancient Greece so a dream was the only other explanation. Maura had once said that dreams were the subconscious’ way of processing something bothering you. Jane had a fair idea what was preying on her mind, her situation with Maura was the only thing she’d thought about for weeks. So if this was all in her own mind, she could ask questions that would never pass her lips ordinarily. Admittedly, this was all in her own head so she was only talking to herself, but who knew what was lurking in the depths of her mind. She decided to go with it.

Jane got to her feet, pleased that the jackhammers in her head were starting to fade slightly. She wandered across to the young woman who was sorting through a saddlebag. “So you and Xena .....”

“We’re lovers.” Gabrielle snapped still annoyed by Xena’s words, the ‘what of it?’ was unspoken but definitely implied. 

Jane held up her hands in surrender. “I am sorry I interrupted your... umm... game, I heard your yells and instinct kicked in. I was a little disorientated from the bump on my head and you really did look like a young girl, especially compared to Xena the Amazon.”

Gabrielle’s hostile expression softened at Jane’s apology and offered one of her own. “I’m sorry I snapped at you, people can be ... intolerant of our relationship. Oh, and Xena isn’t an Amazon.”

Jane had simply meant that Xena was tall and aggressive but Gabrielle was taking it literally almost as if... “You’ve met them?”

“Yeah, I’m their Queen actually.” She waved her hand dismissively, as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“Not a full time job, huh?” 

“Well it should be, so I have a regent. You see, Xena doesn’t like to be tied down...” She blushed to the tips of her ears, “...I mean she doesn’t like to stay in one place too long.” 

Gabrielle turned away embarrassed by her unintended revelation and started to brush twigs and leaves away, making a rough circle of bare earth. Jane might not be the outdoors type but she wasn’t stupid, it was obvious that Gabrielle was starting to prepare a fire pit.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“If you could get some wood... “

“Yeah, on it.” Jane headed out into the trees, leaving a puzzled Gabrielle wondering just what the tall woman was ‘on’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gathering a mixture of twigs and small branches wasn’t exactly taxing on the brain so Jane let her mind wander. The more she thought about it, the more she could see that she’d conjured up Xena and Gabrielle as a version herself and Maura. They were similar in looks and temperament, but most importantly they were lovers and that was the thing she wanted to focus on. Perhaps finding out their back-story would throw a light on her own stumbling block with Maura.

She wasn’t sure how to kick off a conversation about a lesbian life style. She’d never really been one for girly chats and she didn’t think that Gabrielle would be interested in the latest Red Sox signing, so that icebreaker was out, and asking, ‘so what do you and big Xe get up to between the sheets’ wasn’t a good idea. Jane thought back to those hostile blue eyes and shuddered. No, pissing off her hosts was NOT the way to go. Even if this was happening in her own head, there was no need to be an asshole about it. Why not just see how the day went and take it from there? Pleased with her decision, Jane walked back to camp with her arms full of firewood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabrielle had finished the fire pit and even had time to gather some wood of her own before she heard Jane coming back. She smiled approvingly at Jane and started to make a pile of twigs in the centre of the pit. She took one of the pieces of wood and shaved a few slivers from it with a sharp knife, these were placed on top of the pile and she crouched over them, sheltering them from the gentle breeze and struck a piece of flint against a stone to produce sparks. It took several strikes before the shavings caught and she could begin to feed the fire with increasingly larger twigs. 

Jane watched her work with admiration, still pondering on conversation openers. She decided to start at the beginning. “So how did you and Xena meet?”

“My village was being attacked by slavers. They had us rounded up and I stepped in front and begged them to take me instead of having to fight to get the others. I thought it was a good idea at the time, but I was a naive kid back then, they’d’ve probably slit my throat because I was a troublemaker then taken the others anyway. Luckily for me, Xena heard the noise and came to my – well our – rescue.”

Jane grinned. “Don’t tell me, she was so impressed by your bravery that she asked you to ride with her.”

Gabrielle gave a wry smile. “Not exactly. I begged her to take me with her but she said no, so I ran away from home and followed her. She threatened to take me back but I told her I would just run away again. I think she decided it was easier to have me around than keep having to make the trip back to Poteidaia every few days.” 

Jane checked over each shoulder to make sure they were alone, not that she was scared of Xena but that knife was _sharp_. “So you two have to hide your relationship?”

“Well, we’re careful what we do in public. Xena has enough trouble without hoards of homophobic villagers going after her.” Gabrielle was satisfied with the fire and began to prepare some vegetables that she’d retrieved from the seemingly bottomless saddlebag. 

Jane took the knife Gabrielle offered and began to peel and chop along with the blonde, pondering her next question. “Were you lovers from the start?”

“Gods no,” Gabrielle chuckled at the thought, “it took a couple of years before that happened. I had a lot of growing up to do before Xena saw me as more than just an annoying child.” Gabrielle smiled at the memory of those early days. 

“So when did you realise that you wanted to be more than friends?”

“Well Xena had just died and...”

“Excuse me, did you say she died?”

“Yeah, well she wasn’t really dead, she was inside Autolycus’ body and she sort of met me in a .... dreamscape, I s’pose.”

While Jane was trying hard to keep up with the young girl’s story part of her was quite impressed with her own imagination. “Autolycus is... ?”

“Oh he’s a friend of ours, likes to think he’s tough but he’s got a soft heart. Anyway, Xena told me that she was alive – just. I had so many things I wanted to say and just seeing her again was so overwhelming that I didn’t know where to start. Then she said that we didn’t need words and she kissed me – not a friendly peck on the cheek either, it was a proper kiss, and I knew then that we would be lovers but the timing was never right. Or Joxer would come crashing into our camp at exactly the wrong moment so didn’t happen for a long time.”

They had finished preparing the vegetables and Gabrielle set a pan of water by the fire to warm. “I’m making some mint tea, d’you want a cup?” She asked, trying to change the subject

What Jane really wanted was a nice cold beer and her leaky sofa but she’d settle for some tea. “Yes please. So when did the big moment arrive?”

Gabrielle eyed her suspiciously and sent a mental apology to her lover, it seemed that Xena had been right to be wary of Jane. While Gabrielle was more than happy to talk generally about her and Xena, Jane was digging for specifics. “Why are you so interested in my love life?”

Jane decided to go with honesty. “I’m in love with my best friend but something is stopping me from telling her. I thought that hearing your story might give me an idea what’s holding me back.” _Cos it must be in my head somewhere and finding out what it is must be the reason for this weird dream_. 

Gabrielle poured the hot water over the mint leaves in two mugs then passed one to Jane. She seemed satisfied with Jane’s explanation and wiggled around to get comfortable on the hard ground, she composed her thoughts and fell into bard mode as they waited for Xena to return. 

“We’d just gone through a really bad patch, one I thought we’d never recover from. My daughter, Hope... sorta killed Xena’s son, Solan.”

There was quite a long pause as Jane wondered who had dared even to touch Gabrielle with Xena around, let alone have sex with her and Gabrielle remembered the devastating events that nearly tore Xena away from her. 

“You have a daughter?” Jane finally asked.

“Yeah, well had, to be accurate. She... died.” Gabrielle’s eyes grew distant as the memories of that fateful trip to Britannia assailed her. “She was half Goddess, half mortal. I...I was ... attacked by an evil God called Dahak and he...” 

Gabrielle broke off as tears got the better of her and Jane set down the mug to comfort the young woman with a hug, thinking it said a lot about her feelings towards Maura’s birth mother that she’d chosen to name Gabrielle’s killer daughter Hope. She rubbed Gabrielle’s back muttering soothing words as the blonde sobbed on her shoulders, praying that Xena didn’t return while Gabrielle was in her arms. Jane got the impression that she would kick her ass first and not even bother asking any questions. They stayed like that for a while and Jane wondered when she had become a sadist. Even if she was made up, poor Gabrielle didn’t deserve to be a rape victim. A flood of guilt made Jane tighten her hold. 

Eventually, Gabrielle pulled back, she sniffed a couple of times and wiped her eyes. “Thanks, I thought I’d already cried enough over that,” she rubbed her face again and squared her shoulders, pulling herself together.

“No problem, I don’t know how you go on after something like that”, Jane squeezed Gabrielle’s shoulder. “You’re very brave.” 

“Having Xena helped, I wouldn’t have survived without her love and support.” She decided to leave out the details of Hope’s life, the time she had spent with her daughter had only brought heart-wrenching pain until her only option had been sacrifice herself by jumping into a lava pit with Hope in her arms. It was something she tried not to dwell on but the guilt of Solan’s death had never really left and it still caused nightmares.  
Gabrielle pulled her thoughts back to the story of their romance. “So, anyway we’d gone through this... rift because of Solan’s death but thank the Gods we managed to get passed it and we were on our way to Thessaly when we met a man who told us about an invading army...”

She began to tell Jane the story of how she was shot with a poisoned arrow but made Xena stay and fight off the scouting party of an invading army instead of getting her help. Fortunately for her, one of the attacking soldiers had a flask of antidote with him and so Gabrielle was saved. The poison left her weak and Xena insisted that they rest up for a few days. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_They were both seated on Argo, who was trotting gently down a deserted back road. For once Gabrielle was sitting in front of Xena, mainly so that she could keep the sleeping bard from slipping off her horse, but she was conscious of how much she was relishing the feel of Gabrielle against her body._

_Athens had been warned and now they could get on with their lives... until the next crisis hit. But Xena’s top priority for the next few days was getting Gabrielle well again. The bard had slept all through the trip to Athens, only waking to eat and see to nature’s call. Now they were headed to a secluded spot by her favourite lake so that Gabrielle could recuperate for a few days._

_As there was nothing to distract her, Xena was obsessing over just how close she had come to losing Gabrielle. That terrifying thought forced her to examine her feelings about the bard. What had started as simple friendship had grown into love and she wasn’t sure what she would have done – become – if that poison hadn’t been stopped._

_Gabrielle’s body felt limp in Xena’s arms and she assumed the young woman was still sleeping. Not sure why she needed to voice her thoughts out loud, Xena spoke quietly into a small ear._

_“You’ll be fine after a few days rest, Gabrielle. You... you have to be, I can’t lose you now. We’ve been through so much and we’re still together, a little poisoned arrow can’t take you away from me. I..... I need you Gabrielle, you mean so much more to me than I’ve ever told you, you’re not just a friend any more. I’m in love with you.”_

_Gabrielle was awake but too tired to respond, she closed her eyes and let the motion of Argo lull her into a doze, a soft smile on her face and a warm glow in her heart._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“... after we’d been there a few days, I started to feel much stronger and I began realise that no matter how careful we were, at some point our luck would run out. I decided I wasn’t going to let any more time go by without telling Xena how I felt, especially now I knew she was in love with me too. I waited for her to make a move, to say that she was in love with me while I was awake but she was still treating me as just a friend. So when she finally allowed me out of bed to bathe in the lake I made a move on her.

“She’d finished washing and was sitting on a rock at the lake edge, eyes closed and enjoying the Sun. I sat in her lap, took her face in my hands and kissed her. I told her that I loved her and that from now on we WOULD be sharing a bedroll.”

Jane looked surprised. “And she just accepted it?”

Gabrielle chuckled. “Not at first, she protested that I could do better than a battle-scared ex-warlord. So I kissed her again, for longer. Then she said that I was too young to know what I wanted and what I felt was just hero worship, so I started to undress her and she stopped me. She wanted to know why I wanted to be with someone with such...” Gabrielle halted her tale, searching for the right word.

“Baggage?”

“Baggage, that’s a good way of putting it. Emotional carryover from the past so large it needs huge bags to cart it around. Yeah, great, can I use it?” She pulled a scroll and quill out of a saddlebag then look up expectantly.

“Go ahead.”

Gabrielle wrote for a few seconds and put the things away again. “Then she said that if we did this it had to be forever, I couldn’t ever leave her no matter how cute the ex-boyfriend who staggered into our camp was or...” she broke off at Jane’s questioning look. “I did leave her once before to marry Perdicus, the man my parents betrothed me to – it’s a long story. Anyway, she made it clear that it was all or nothing and that was exactly what I wanted so I stuck my hand out and said ‘deal’. She said that we could do better than a handshake. She laid us down on the grass, rolled on top of me and...” Gabrielle blushed and looked away.

“Yeah, yeah, you don’t need to draw a diagram.” Jane said embarrassed, although at the back of her mind a little bell was ringing. It was the same feeling she got during interrogations, something Gabrielle had said was significant 

“So, what about you, tell me about your best friend.” Gabrielle said, changing the subject.

And the feeling was forgotten, Jane picked at some grass. “She’s called Maura and we work together...”

“Really, what at?”

“I’m a ...town guard,” Jane said hoping she was using a term Gabrielle was familiar with, “and Maura helps me put the bad guys away by finding evidence at crime scenes and ... on the bodies.” Jane sat and waited for the ‘ewww’ or ‘yuck’ that inevitably followed when she told a non-cop about Maura’s job, but Gabrielle seemed to be made of sterner stuff.

“That sounds fascinating, she must be very clever.”

A far away look appeared in Jane’s eyes. “Yeah, yeah she is and beautiful too.” She said wistfully.

“So why aren’t you together?”

 _Right this second there’s a couple of thousand years time difference_. Jane thought to herself. “To be honest I’m not really sure... well I’ve never been interested in women before so that’ll come as a shock to my family, but that’s not really it. I... “ Jane tailed off.

“Does she like you too?”

“Yeah... I mean, I hope so. I think she does. Maura’s pretty straight forward when it comes to sex and she’s been dropping some massive hints... not to mention showing more..." Jane waved at the general area of her chest, "when it’s just the two of us so...” 

Jane was interrupted by a tuneful whistling and Xena walked into the campsite carrying the carcass of a young boar. She looked at her lover and held the carcass of a young boar aloft triumphantly. Gabrielle smiled indulgently and got up to give the warrior a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for reading and hitting the Kudos button. Chapter 4 should be up next Friday.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is some violence in this chapter – this is a Xena tale after all – but nothing graphic. This is the last chapter set in ancient Greece, so if you could have your passports and boarding passes ready the time machine for the present is leaving in about 2400 words time.

Jane put the empty bowl down beside her and belched quietly behind her hand. “Pardon me.”

Xena waved a lazy hand to indicate she was fine with it and joined in with a loud burp of her own. Gabrielle shook her head and began to clear up. Jane hastened to help saying. “That was really tasty, my compliments to the chef.” She smiled warmly.

Xena possessively put her arm around Gabrielle’s shoulder. “Yeah, _my_ bard knows how to cook.” She kissed Gabrielle’s head, shooting a warning glare at Jane.

Jane took a breath, wanting to reassure Xena that her interests lay elsewhere but Gabrielle beat her to it.

“Tell us about your friend, Jane, the one you’re in love with.” And Xena relaxed visibly only to tense up a second later.

Jane started to repeat what she’d said to Gabrielle earlier, although Xena seemed only to be half listening and when she mentioned her job Xena broke in quietly.

“So you can handle yourself in a fight?”

Jane squared her shoulders, wondering if the warrior was about to issue a challenge for some after dinner entertainment. “Yeah, I like to think so.” 

“Good, cos there are seven... no eight men out in the bushes, fanning out over to the left.” Xena kept her tone light and her movements casual as she gathered her sword and chakram. The others followed her lead, they calmly put the down what ever was in their hands and Gabrielle reached over for her staff, pretending to fasten a loose piece of binding. 

Under the cover of a stretch, Jane glanced over to the bushes but couldn’t see anything untoward. “How do you kno.. ?”

Gabrielle groaned and rolled her eyes. “Don’t say...”

Xena smiled mysteriously. “I have many skills.”

“... it,” finished Gabrielle belatedly.

Then Jane heard a rustle that was too loud to be the breeze. “What do they want?”

“If they attack before Xena’s dinner settles, they obviously want to die.” Gabrielle said with a grin.

Xena shot her a look and muttered to Jane. “There’s a spare knife in the bag by your foot.”

“No thanks,” Jane replied just as quietly, “I prefer to use my wits.” _If I can’t have my gun_ , she thought to herself

“I’ll sing at your funeral.” Xena said, flashing her a brief smirk.

Jane grinned in appreciation; it was the same macabre banter that she and Korsak exchanged before a takedown, just their way of flipping off the shadow of death that was ever present in a cop’s life. 

With an explosion of yelling the campsite was suddenly full of sword waving men. Xena and Gabrielle spread out. Two of the attackers followed the bard, five rushed Xena leaving Jane to deal with the last. 

Xena let out a piercing, ululating cry that startled Jane but kicked her into motion, she squared up to the man who was about her height but outweighed her by fifty pounds and, not surprisingly, resembled the guy from the alley.

He noted that she was unarmed and smiled, thinking this would be a short fight but he had never been up against a pissed off Jane Rizzoli before. He charged in brimming with confidence and little skill. Jane dodged the sword point easily and delivered a hard, stamping kick to his thigh muscle and he dropped to one knee as the numb leg gave out under him. Jane followed up with a swift kick to his sword arm and it flew out of his grasp landing several yards away at Xena’s feet, she bent and picked it up. 

“Thanks,” she grinned at Jane, twirling both swords as she advanced on her opponents again, which Jane noticed were down to two. 

Jane’s adversary was beginning to regret his gung-ho approach and was just about intelligent enough to recognise this was a fight he couldn’t win. He stayed in a crouch as he scrambled back into the trees, helped on his way by a Rizzoli boot to his ass. 

Jane turned to see if the others needed help. She watched Xena fight, even as someone who had only seen sword play in pirate movies and Olympic fencing on TV (at Maura’s insistence), she could see a couple of openings that Xena ignored, the warrior was toying with the last of her challengers and thoroughly enjoying herself, no help needed there then. 

Jane switched her attention to Gabrielle, the blonde had despatched one of her attackers, the man was cradling an obviously broken wrist and wisely staying low as he edged backwards into the bushes. Her other assailant was a better fighter and they were evenly matched. Then he saw his opportunity and took it, Gabrielle swung her staff a little too vigorously, missed her target and overbalanced, needing an extra step to stay upright. The man thrust his sword at her head and she only just jerked it sideways in time. The blade whistled harmlessly passed her right ear but his fist slammed into her temple. The heavy sword hilt in his hand added to the impact, she dropped the staff and swayed drunkenly, stunned by the blow and only just managing to keep her feet. Her opponent grinned, relishing the moment of victory then he gripped the sword in both hands and started to swing, intending to separate Gabrielle’s head from her shoulders. 

Everything slowed for Jane, glancing over she saw Xena finish off her last attacker and immediately seek out her partner. When she realised her soulmate was in trouble but was too far away to help, Xena desperately reached to her hip but the chakram had been knocked from its hook during the fight. The look of devastation on Xena’s face tugged at Jane’s heart. She turned back to Gabrielle and launched herself at the swordsman the same way she had knocked Xena away from Gabrielle a few short hours ago. But this time she held on, crashing into his side just before his blade reached its target and they landed in a heap, rolling over a few times before coming to a halt with Jane straddling the guy’s waist. He started to struggle and scrabbled in the dirt for his sword that had landed a couple of feet from his right side, but she balled her fists and unleashed a combination of blows that soon had his eyes rolling back into his head. She gave him a couple more hits just to make sure he was out then sat still, chest heaving and her whole body trembling with the adrenaline rush.

Eventually she got up and started to wearily make her way over to Gabrielle, she paused as she took in the scene and remained on the spot, not wanting to intrude on a private moment. Xena had taken Gabrielle over to the bedroll and was kneeling in front, speaking soothingly and stroking her hair. Xena encouraged her to lay down with a gentle hand on the bard’s shoulder, she pulled a blanket over her lover’s body, dropped a kiss on her forehead and came over to where Jane was standing. 

“Thank you Jane, I’m forever in your debt.” She said sincerely, extending her arm, Jane went to take the hand but Xena clasped her forearm just below the elbow; a warrior’s handshake. Their eyes met, understanding and acceptance flowed between them. 

They tidied up the camp, depositing the trash –those that hadn’t fled– bound and gagged at the side of the road several minutes walk from the camp. 

Jane noticed Xena standing over the still unconscious man who had nearly ended Gabrielle’s life, she was staring icily down at him. 

“Tempting, isn’t it?” Jane said quietly, moving to stand by the warrior’s side.

Xena’s laser-bright eyes never moved from the man’s face but Jane still felt the fallout of the scorching glare. “Hmmmm?” 

“To add a few broken ribs to his injuries.” Jane clarified.

“You got that right. When I think what might have....” She broke off to swallow down a sob that threatened to break lose. 

Jane put a consoling hand on Xena’s shoulder and the Warrior Princess shifted her gaze to Jane’s sympathetic brown eyes. “But it didn’t. I know how you feel, if something like that happened to Maura... Well it almost did. She went through a phase of dating the wrong type of guy and one of them was even a serial killer, he had her at knifepoint and nearly... Luckily we took him down before he could... “ Jane couldn’t finish the sentence. “... and when he was lying on the ground I was sorely tempted to redecorate his face.”

Xena looked at her. “Maura’s your colleague, the one you...?” 

“It’s complicated.” Jane cut her off. 

Xena grinned, a wry smile that spoke volumes about her and Gabrielle’s relationship. “I’ve been there my friend.”

Jane paused for a second, that feeling was back. The one that she was sure held the answer to what was stopping her from being with Maura. Frustratingly, every time she tried to capture the thought it slipped away like soap in a hot tub. 

They began to walk back to camp both lost in their own thoughts. Jane was the first to speak. “You know how some people aren’t blood related but feel closer than family?”

They had reached the clearing by now and Xena’s eyes immediately sought out the slumbering form of Gabrielle. “Yeah, yeah I do.”

Xena bent over and rummaged in a saddlebag, pulling a small flask out. She removed the stopper and took a careful sip, gasping slightly as the alcohol blazed down her throat. Xena sat down, leaning against the fallen log and offered the flask to Jane, who sank next to her and took it.

“Thanks,” she sipped at the flask and relished the burn, passing it back to Xena.

“So that’s how you feel about this Maura but haven’t told her yet?”

“Yes, I... we...”

“Life is short, Jane. Don’t waste time, just tell her.” 

Their eyes met and held. Jane nodded. “I will, as soon as I get home,” she vowed.

They sat companionably side-by-side, drinking and exchanging few words other than to toast their victory. The sun had set by now and the night sky became freckled with starlight. Even thought outwardly Xena was a picture of relaxation, Jane could sense a dark restlessness just under the surface and, if the way they’d been attacked earlier was a normal occurrence, then Jane could understand why. She fervently hoped that Xena and Gabrielle could find a way to live out their lives in peace, then felt foolish as she realised she’d become fond of two imaginary women. 

Xena broke the silence. “Do you regret not ‘redecorating’ the face of Maura’s attacker?” 

“Sometimes but it might have cost me my job and Maura wouldn’t have liked it.”

“Yeah, Gabrielle is much the same.” She looked thoughtful for a second. “Annoying isn’t it?”

“Huh?”

“When your love for a good woman takes away your fun.”

Jane grinned. “Totally.”

Xena drained the flask. “Well I’m ready to call it a night.” 

Jane yawned. “Sounds good to me.”

Xena stood offering Jane her hand and pulled her up. She went over to the pile of belongings and picked up their spare bedroll, passing it to Jane. “Night, Jane and thanks again.”

Jane nodded. “Night Xena.” She spread the furs and blankets on the other side of the fire pit and lay down. She could only see the silhouette of her two camp mates in the dim moonlight and their voices were indistinct but the tone was gentle, loving. It was comforting to know that such a love existed in these turbulent times – even if it was all in her head. 

Jane reflected as she tried to fall asleep. She had never been around a gay couple before. The life of a cop left little time for socialising and for most of her adult life when she wasn’t at work, she was with Maura or her family. It was possible that a fear of the unknown that was holding her back from taking the plunge, but the way Xena and Gabrielle acted made her realise there was nothing to be frightened of, and Jane had always felt more comfortable with Maura than any of her previous lovers. 

She’d seen the way Xena and Gabrielle interacted with the affectionate looks and gentle touches. Jane wanted that. How great would it be to come home after closing a hard case and cuddle up on that comfy couch with Maura in her arms? Yeah, Jane really wanted that. So what was stopping her? She went over Gabrielle’s story of how she and Xena got together. Xena had been scared that if they became lovers the hurt of Gabrielle leaving would end her. That feeling came back with a vengeance and the little bell rang with the force of a thunderclap. That was it! She was scared that Maura would leave her, and Maura was as essential to her life as hamburgers and baseball. With her other boyfriends she could cope when they left because she still had her adorable best friend to get over the heartache, but if it was Maura that left... Jane shuddered. 

Maura did have a love ‘em and leave ‘em attitude to guys but most of them – and there hadn’t been that many - had been just to scratch an itch. Would Maura be that casual with Jane? The only time Maura had been upset was when she sent Ian whathisname, the so-called love of her life, packing. And she’d gotten over it pretty quickly, admittedly with Jane’s help. She’d spent a week in Maura’s guestroom, dragging her to every ‘fun’ museum and lecture Boston had to offer, then Maura was smiling again and Ian was never mentioned. Was it possible that Maura needed Jane the way she needed Maura? The more she thought about it, the more it seemed possible. 

If the unthinkable happened and Jane ended up with a Maura shaped hole in her life, she knew it would devastate her whether they had been lovers or just remained friends. And if that was the case wouldn’t it be better to have loved and lost etc? Stereotypical clichés be damned Xena was right, life was short. As soon as Jane got back she was going to have that talk with Maura.

Now that she had come to a decision her eyes began to drift shut and the last thing she saw before her sleep claimed her was the silhouette of two people sharing a loving kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, see you next time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in the real world now, and Jane is determined to have that talk with Maura...

While Jane was swimming up through the pool of unconsciousness, most of the usual suspects were crowded around her hospital bed. Frankie was hovering at its foot worriedly gnawing at a thumbnail. Angela was seated in a hard, plastic chair by Jane’s shoulder holding her daughter’s hand and intently peering at her face to see the first signs of wakefulness. Maura was hovering at Angela’s side, inwardly cursing the fact that she’d had to leave the hospital to process the DNA she’d taken from under Jane’s fingernails, and thereby losing her place as hand-holder. Every instinct was screaming for her to push Angela aside and grab Jane’s hand back but her natural deference to louder, more forceful personalities made her stay put at Angela’s shoulder.

The door opened and Korsak entered unnoticed by the women but Frankie left his post and walked to talk with his fellow officer. 

Korsak nodded his greeting. “We got him. CODIS gave us a name – John Simpson, listed as still living with his mommy.” Korsak said sarcastically, then shook his head sadly. “His room still had Toy Story wallpaper. He’s in holding and not enjoying coming down from his drug-induced happy place.” 

“Right.” Frankie made to leave but Korsak stopped him with a hand to the chest.

“I think we’ll leave him to stew.” Korsak didn’t consider himself a vengeful man but Jane was like a daughter to him and it wasn’t like the past where the odd punch to soften up a suspect was ignored, so Simpson could suffer his sobering up in holding for a little while yet.

“How’d the phone interview go?” Frankie spoke softly, not wanting to disturb the bedside vigil.

“Good. She’ll be an excellent addition to the team,” Korsak’s voice was equally hushed.

“Does Janie know?”

“Not yet, and it’s not a conversation I’m looking forward to.”

Frankie nodded in sympathy, the loss of Frost had hit Jane hardest of all and she was unlikely to welcome his replacement with open arms. “When does she start?”

“First of the... “ He trailed off as Jane stirred.

“Maur?” The normally husky voice was even raspier than usual.

There was a brief, silent tussle as Maura’s natural good manners failed her at the sound of Jane’s voice. She hip bumped Angela out of the way, slid into the chair and took Jane’s hand in her own. “I’m here, Jane.”

“I’m here too, baby.” But Angela went unheard by her daughter, who only had eyes for the honey-blonde who held her heart as well as her hand.

“Maur, I need... “ Jane noticed the others in the room and ground to a halt. Her eyes followed Maura’s free hand as it reached for the call button.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling for the doctor, you need to be examined.“

That wasn’t what Jane wanted at all, unless she and Maura could play doctor and patient in private. “I don’t want to be poked and prodded just now, we need to talk.“

The door opened and a plump, middle-aged woman came in. “Back with us, detective Rizzoli?” She asked breezily. “How are you feeling?”

“Great, I’m just great.” Jane sighed, the talk would have to wait for a bit, she lay still as the doctor ordered everyone else out of the room and wished the cold hands that examined her were slightly warmer – and belonged to her best friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Once the doctor had finished, she left the room to write up her notes and the others trooped back in. Getting Maura alone long enough to talk to her wasn’t going to be easy, Jane’s visitors seemed immune to her not so subtle suggestions that they go away, which, of course, brought out the cranky toddler in her. After snapping at everyone (except Maura) at least twice they finally got the hint and left, Korsak and Frankie to go back to interrogate the guy that had put her in hospital and her ma to talk to the doctor. 

Jane slumped back on her pillow, grateful for the peace. She noticed a hesitant Maura standing by the wall and smiled to her, holding out her hand. Maura came over and ignored the chair to perch on the bed. 

“Alone at last. Maura there’s something I need to....” The door opened and Angela came back in with the doctor in tow. “...for the love of Pete!” Jane exclaimed, and petulantly threw her head against the pillow.

“Now Janie,” Angela began, “there’s no need for the hysterics.”

“I’m hardly hysterical ma.”

“Doctor Nolan here says you can go home.”

Jane sat up. “Really?”

“Yes, Detective your test results are fine so there’s no real reason for you to stay here.”

Jane clapped her hands in glee, bouncing on the bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of the (many, in Jane’s opinion) problems with her ma was that she took anything a medical professional said as if it came straight from the mouth of God. So when Doctor Nolan agreed to discharge her as long as she had someone with her at all times, Angela Rizzoli took it literally. To the extent that Jane couldn’t even visit the bathroom without company and no amount of grousing could dissuade her. Angela’s comment that Jane had nothing she hadn’t seen a thousand times before only made Jane’s temper rise further. The only plus side was that she was staying at Maura’s and that had to make it easier to get her alone. Didn’t it? 

48 hours later Jane had her answer. She’d spent plenty of time with Maura, but none without an audience, her mother had even insisted that she share Jane’s bed. When Korsak came to interview her about the assault, Angela sat a discrete distance away but watched her daughter’s every move. Jane decided to swallow down her frustration, she was allowed back to work after the weekend and the Talk could wait until they were in Maura’s office on Monday ... with the door locked ...and the blinds closed. So when Maura returned from work on that Friday evening, Jane was about to suggest pizza and a movie for the three of them but the M.E. rushed from the front door up the stairs with barely a hello.

Jane got up from the sofa to find out what had her friend in such a hurry and Angela automatically began to follow.

“Ma! Really? I _can_ go upstairs on my own.”

“But what if... ?”

“I’ll be fine. You can watch me from down here if you have to.” And Jane took the stairs two at a time leaving Angela scowling after her. 

“I’m a terrible mother,” she muttered, “I only want my baby to be safe.” She said in a louder voice. 

Jane ignored her and jogged to Maura’s door, she took a breath and knocked.

“Come in.”

Jane cautiously opened the door and stepped inside, the bedroom was empty but the rustle of fabric and sighing was coming from Maura’s dressing room, Jane padded over and leant against the doorway. Several outfits were laid over the chair and Maura had another up against herself, staring critically at her reflection in the full-length mirror. It was a figure-hugging blue dress and one of Jane’s personal favourites.

“Going out, Maur?” Jane could see her cosy night disappearing.

“Yes,” Maura flashed her a grin in the mirror, “I’ve got a dinner engagement in... “ she peaked at her watch, “oh shoot, 37 minutes.” She held out the dress and shot Jane a questioning look.

“That one definitely.” It was a reply Jane immediately regretted as she realised someone else would get to spend the evening with Maura looking spectacularly sexy.

Maura hung the dress on the closet door and began to unfasten her skirt. Jane turned her back hurriedly, blushing. They’d changed in front of each other numerous times before at the gym but somehow, now that Jane had acknowledged the fact that she was in love with Maura, it felt wrong to see her underwear.

“Do you want to come?”

Jane half turned at Maura’s innocent invitation but the glimpse of lacy panties and bare leg made her hastily turn back, her blush deepening as the delightful view and unintended double entendre hit her squarely between her thighs.

“I... umm...” Then an unappealing thought occurred and her arousal vanished. “You’re not seeing Jack are you, cos...?” Jane turned around, keeping her eyes on Maura’s face.

“No, certainly not. I told him that we couldn’t remain in contact just after I realised....” _that no one could take your place_. Maura finished the sentence in her mind, her cheeks a fetching shade of pink. Jane waited but Maura was suddenly very interested in a piece of lint on the dress. 

“So your dinner date, do I know him?”

“No, you’ve never met _them_. I met Abby and Serena when I was in New York for a conference last year and we kept in touch. They’re in town for a few days so I invited them to dinner. You’re more than welcome to join us. You and Serena should get on well, you’re of a similar type and I’m sure you’ll enjoy swapping cop stories. “ Maura smiled and began to get dressed. 

The conference had come at a low point in Maura’s life, Jane was practically living with Casey and Maura could see a time rapidly approaching where she would again be spending her nights alone with medical journals. The time in New York was a welcome relief, that first night she tried to drink her misery away in the hotel bar and when a would-be Romeo wouldn’t take no for an answer, Abby and Serena came to her rescue. Maura didn’t remember much the following day but had some vague recollections of being helped back to her room and crying all over a tall, dark-haired woman, telling her that she had the wrong colour eyes. Maura found a piece of paper on the unoccupied pillow next to her, the short note said that if she wanted to talk she should call Abby on... and there was a cell number. 

She did and spent the next few evenings with the couple, they told her the story of their romance, it was a fanciful tale and one that ordinarily she wouldn’t accept but there was something about the two women that made it totally believable. It also gave her renewed hope that she and Jane would one day be more than just best friends and when she’d explained her situation to her new friends they encouraged her to tell Jane how she felt. Although she’d agreed at the time, when she’d returned to Boston, her courage failed and she carried on suffering in silence. The few weeks she’d spent with Jack were pleasant distraction but not enough and she was relieved that he chose to follow his daughter out of state. 

Jane’s mood brightened considerably, Maura wasn’t seeing a potential rival but a couple of friends. An evening without her ma constantly asking how she was and peering into her eyes was exactly what she needed. 

“Thanks, I’d love a night away from Oberleutnant Angela.” Jane rolled her eyes and tried to click her heals together but it didn’t really work with her bare feet.

Maura chuckled fondly. “Oh Jane.” She watched as Jane walked – no swaggered - out of the room, craning her head so that her eyes could linger on Jane’s ass as it disappeared down the hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jane hurriedly changed her sweats for one of her work suits and a wine-red button down. She had quite a collection of clothes in Maura’s guest room as she usually stayed over a couple of nights a week and it made sense to have some clean stuff on hand. 

Jane managed to sneak past the searchlights and armed guards – well she whined and wheedled until her mother agreed to let her go out, but it took a solemn promise from Maura that Jane was in no danger before Angela’s reluctant consent. Jane rushed them out of the house and on to the street before Angela decided to join them. 

“So where are we going?”

“L'arc-en-ciel. It’s just around the corner.” 

Jane frowned, as a cop she made a conscious effort to know most of the restaurants and bars in town, she never knew when it would be relevant to a case, but this name wasn’t familiar. “I’ve not heard of this place, is it new?”

They were walking up to a plain looking door with the name of the restaurant in small, golden lettering above it, the window next to the door was dimly lit and Jane could just about see seated silhouettes inside. She pushed the door open and gestured for Maura to enter first. The window must have been made from tinted glass because the interior was bright and the atmosphere was welcoming, with a background of quiet conversation. A tall, thin, blonde man was at their side instantly.

“Dr Isles, it’s always a pleasure to see you.”

“And you, Henri. Have my guests arrived?”

“Not yet Dr Isles, but your table is ready, or would you like a drink at the bar first?”

Maura glanced at Jane, who was clearly bursting with questions. “I think we’ll go to the table now.”

“But of course.“ Henri led the way and they were soon side-by-side in a high-backed booth that could easily seat six. The booth was at the far end of the restaurant and the rear third of it was in shadow. Jane relaxed on the seat and looked around. “So _is_ it new?”

Maura considered her words before answering. “Not really, it’s just low key. The patrons come here because it’s discrete and they know they are safe.”

_Safe? Strange word to use about a restaurant_. Jane looked more closely at the ‘patrons’. Most of the tables were only big enough for two people and held same sex couples. The penny dropped as did the level of her voice. “Maur? Is this a gay restaurant?

Maura glanced at her nervously. “Well a building can’t have a sexual preference... “ At Jane’s rolled eyes Maura stopped, she swallowed and answered the question. “Yes, is that okay?”

“So, does this mean your friends are....?”

“Yep, we’re at it like weasels on Viagra!” 

Both women started at the sudden, cheerful voice to their right, Jane looked over Maura’s shoulder to see... _Xena_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Virtual cookies for anyone that correctly guesses who’s the new addition to BPD.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for taking the time to read, see you next Friday.
> 
> Kim.x


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for taking the time to read and for the Kudos. 
> 
> Only a couple of chapters to go after this one. Although I am thinking of a prequal explaining how Xena and Gabrielle became immortal, if the muse is with me.

**Previously**

_“So, does this mean your friends are....?”_

_“Yep, we’re at it like weasels on Viagra!”_

_Both women started at the sudden, cheerful voice to their right, Jane looked over Maura’s shoulder to see Xena?_

 

“Serena! Gods, I can’t take you anywhere.” And next to the warrior, reprimanding her was Xena’s bard, Gabrielle.

Xena gathered Gabrielle up in her arms and said playfully. “Think you’ll find you’ve _taken_ me everywhere, my love.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, then dipped her partner for a deep, toe-curling kiss.

Jane frowned, not so much at the display as the people making it and turned to make a comment to Maura, who was studying Jane closely. Jane automatically checked that she hadn’t put on the jacket with the ketchup stain but it was clean. She raised her eyebrows silently asking what Maura found so fascinating but the ME looked away and stood up to greet her friends.

When Gabrielle had been released, Maura embraced the blonde and kissed her cheek. “Great to see you again Abby,” she was then engulfed by the tall brunette and her voice was muffled as the enthusiastic hug squashed her face against Serena’s suit jacket, “you too, Serena.” 

Jane stood and faced the bard, she had much shorter hair but it was definitely her. “But... but... you’re...” 

“ _Abby_ Johnson,” the blonde emphasized, looking at Jane pointedly. Abby thrust out her hand which Jane took weakly, still feeling dazed. “Tall, dark and gorgeous there is my partner, Serena Davis.”

Jane shook Serena’s hand and looked into her eyes, they were a vivid blue and Jane was certain this was the same intimidating warrior that she’d seen in her dream. 

Serena return the gaze unflinchingly. “Good to meet you, Jane.”

“Yeah you too, Serena.” Jane muttered, feeling a little light-headed.

Introductions over they all sat, Jane slid in first followed by Maura and the others settled opposite them. When Maura had first met Serena she was instantly drawn to her and now, with her and Jane in the same room, Maura could see why. They were both tall and dark with an air of authority and tonight they were even dressed alike, each wearing suits, although Jane’s was a slightly lighter grey and Serena’s button down was a midnight blue. Both women had chosen to be cops and protectiveness was a dominant trait in their personalities. Maura filed the thoughts for later reflection then turned her attention to the smaller woman sitting opposite and they began to catch up, with Serena chiming in with an occasional quip.

Jane didn’t really hear the chatter going on around her, she was still reeling. Was she dreaming? Again? Still? She covertly pinched the back of her own hand, it hurt so she must be awake, mustn’t she? Perhaps her ma had finally driven her insane, she’d always thought it was only a matter of time before all that interfering and constant unsolicited advice tipped her over the edge. Still, she was with Maura so it wasn’t all bad and, even if she was mad, Jane was fairly certain that Maura wouldn’t have her committed. She’d probably just keep her locked in the guest room and have some froufrou designer straight jackets made for her. That thought made Jane smile, perhaps she was losing it a little. Whatever this was, Jane decided to keep quiet and see how the evening panned out.

Henri came over disrupting Jane’s train of thought. He handed out menus, filled their water glasses and took their wine order, then bustled away again. Jane began to pay attention to her dinner companions.

“... and he had to spend the day carrying a bag of flour, it was all going well until he crushed it in the elevator doors.” 

Abby and Serena smiled at Maura’s anecdote and Serena said. “Yeah, we knew a guy like that once,” she turned to Abby. “Remember Joxer? That man could trip over in an empty room.” Serena looked back at Maura and lent forward conspiratorially. “He had a massive crush on Abby.”

Abby elbowed her in the ribs. “Enough, unless you want me to tell Maura and Jane about all the men that followed you around like lost puppies.” She looked pointedly at her partner. “I remember one in particular, his name was Ares....”

Serena jumped hurriedly in with. “So Maura, what’s good here?” 

Maura smiled at the exchange, the teasing banter reminded her of her relationship with Jane. “The fish here is excellent,” she caught Abby’s eye, “you like seafood I seem to recall.”

Before Abby could reply Serena interrupted. “Yeah, just ask her about the raw squid she had on a boat trip back in Greece.”

Abby narrowed her eyes and launched a tickle attack on Serena. They tussled playfully for a few moments unconcerned that they weren’t alone until Serena managed to capture both of Abby’s hands, she kissed then released them and they went back to perusing the menus. 

Maura inwardly sighed, she always enjoyed being with Abby and Serena, the love they shared seemed to grow stronger every time she met them and it gave her hope that one-day she would have that type of relationship – hopefully with Jane. She took a sip of water. “So Abby, how is your job at the museum?” 

“Actually, I’ve left the... “

“I thought you were a cop, like Serena.” Jane broke in.

“That’s okay,” Serena drawled, “it’s not like I’ll pin you to a tree at knife-point over a silly misunderstanding is it?” She flashed Jane a smug grin and raised a perfectly sculptured eyebrow. 

Jane’s mouth fell open in astonishment and her hand fell onto the table, clumsily knocking her knife into Maura’s lap. It _was_ real. She looked from Serena to Abby, who winked cheekily. 

Maura polished Jane’s knife on her napkin and replaced it on the table. “Well there’s clearly some subtext to this conversation.” She looked at the suspiciously innocent faces of her friends then at Jane. “Will you hint me in, Jane?”

“It’s clue you in, Maur and no, not now.” She said absently, her mind still reeling.

Maura was a little hurt by Jane’s dismissal, she slid away from her and stood up. “Excuse me, I need the rest room.”

Jane’s attention was still fixed on the two women opposite and barely noticed her go. She opened her mouth to ask what the hell was going on but Henri came up to the table with their wine. After the Chablis was sampled and distributed, Jane got back to the matter in hand.

“How can you be here?” She said in an angry hiss, trying to be quiet but it came out marginally louder than her usual rasping tones.

“We took a cab.... “ Serena’s smart-aleck remark was cut off by Abby elbowing her in the ribs again. “Hey Abs, enough!”

Jane ignored her and addressed Abby. “So, _Abs_ , how the hell _are_ you here?” 

Abby empathised with Jane, it was a conversation she’d only had a few times over the millennia but this time it was vital that Jane trust them, especially Serena. She looked at her soulmate who gestured her on. “Is there anything I can say that you’ll believe?”

“Prob’ly not, but let’s start with the truth.”

“We’re immortal.”

“Yeah, right!” Jane scoffed and took a large gulp of her wine wishing it were beer. “Okay, so how was I there?” 

“My vote would go to our pink, sparkly friend, Aphrodite. She never could resist the urge to meddle.” Serena said.

“Aw, Serena, that’s not fair, she just loves people in love and likes to give them a nudge in the right direction. And we did sort of agree to help out where we could. It’s part of the deal we have with her.” Abby defended her friend.

“Aphrodite? Goddess of Love, that Aphrodite?” Jane asked incredulously, although it was no more unbelievable than a trip back to ancient Greece.

“That’s the one.” Abby smiled encouragingly.

Jane reminded herself of her previous decision to go with the flow, so she held her back her other questions. After all they were here, the how wasn’t really important. Her eyes wandered until they landed on an impressive diamond ring on Abby’s left hand. “How did you afford that on a cop’s salary?”

“We’ve invested wisely over the millennia, with a few pointers from our favourite deity.”

“Aphrodite, Goddess of Love _and_ financial wizard?” 

“Yeah, time doesn’t mean much to the Gods so she can wander back and forth...” Abby began.

Maura came back and the table fell silent, apart from Serena’s muttered, “At least we now know how she picked up that surfer-chick way of talking.” 

Abby’s hands were resting on the table and the light sparkled off the diamond catching Maura’s eye as she sat down. “You’re engaged? That’s wonderful.”

Abby smiled fondly at Serena. “Yes, after 2000 years she’s finally going to make an honest woman of me.” 

“I know what you mean, _some_ people take ages to realise what’s under their nose – no matter how many boring, college lecturer, divorcés you date.” She shot a sad look at Jane. 

For the first time Jane saw Maura’s pain at what she perceived as Jane’s indifference. She leaned closer to apologise, wishing they were alone so they could finally have ‘the talk’. “Maur I... “ But the blonde was focused on Abby’s ring. Jane thought back over the time she’d spent with her and Jack, trying hard to spot any clues that Maura was just going through the motions. A warm hand over her own brought her back and she looked up into Serena’s sympathetic blue eyes.

“Still not had that talk, huh? D’you want us to go?”

Jane was tempted but Maura was talking animatedly about wedding dresses with Abby, clearly enjoying herself and Jane didn’t have the heart to take it away from her. “Thanks but no. Maura doesn’t really have that many friends...” A cute giggle caught her attention, Maura’s nose was wrinkled adorably and Jane felt herself falling for her all over again. “I’ll talk to her later tonight.”

The conversation lulled and the four women picked up the menus. Jane peeked over the top of hers to look at Serena, she had her arm along the top of the seat and her fingers were buried in Abby’s hair, gently scratching her scalp while seemingly engrossed by the menu in her other hand. Abby’s eyes were half-closed and mouth half-open in pleasure, the menu in her hands was trembling slightly. 

Xena or rather Serena now seemed different to Jane. When they had met in ancient Greece, she had been restless with an angry, dark undercurrent but now she appeared playful and happy as if all her inner demons had been slain, and Jane suspected that was down to the small woman at her side. Even her startlingly blue eyes were softer, less icy and her previously severely straight hair now had a gentle wave to it. 

Maura put her menu down. “I think I’ll have the escargot to start,” she turned to Jane and began to explain the dish. 

“I know, Maur. I’m not a complete Philistine.” She said it with a little more anger than she intended, still feeling off kilter about the two women seated opposite.

“They’re not so bad, they just had bad publicity.” Abby said, talking about the Philistines but only her soulmate heard.

Maura’s face fell and she felt tears begin to collect in her eyes, she placed her hands in her lap and stared sightlessly at them, cursing her over sensitive amygdala.

Serena shot a scolding glance at Jane and spoke gently to Maura. “Well _I’d_ quite like to know about escargot, Maura.”

Maura blinked a couple of times and smiled gratefully, she launched into an explanation of how the snails were reared organically and humanely killed. Serena focused completely on Maura, avidly concentrating and nodding in all the right places. Maura was blushing like a high school freshman that had the attention of the star quarterback and Jane scowled as she was overcome with a wave of jealousy. 

After Maura finished, Serena thanked her sincerely and directed a meaningful look at Jane. Her eyes widened as she realised that Serena was teaching her a lesson in tolerance, doing things for the one you love and generally acting like a grown-up. Serena was right, Jane thought, she was guilty of treating Maura like an inconvenience at times, but that was going to stop right now. She might not be able to say everything she wanted but it _was_ possible to let Maura know that Jane saw her as more than just a friend.

She put her menu on the table, shuffled closer to Maura and draped her right arm on the back of the seat, she didn’t have the courage to massage the honey-blonde hair as Serena had done with Abby, so she settled for tentatively resting her fingers on Maura’s shoulder. Jane angled her head so that it was next to Maura’s ear and huskily said. “I’m sorry, Maura. I’m just a little tense after being stuck with my ma all week.”

With her other hand she reached round and pointed to an item on the over-sized menu, accidentally brushing her arm against the side of Maura’s breast. The ME let out a soft whimper.

“Why don’t you tell me about that?” Jane rasped, her heart picking up speed at Maura’s reaction.

Maura’s voice was far from steady. “C... Coquilles Saint-Jacques?”

Jane nuzzled the blonde hair and murmured, “Yeah, that’s the one.” The feeling of Maura snuggling closer was easily worth the 10-minute dissertation on hand-dived versus dredged scallops and the icing on the cake was the appearance of a warm hand squeezing her upper thigh. Neither of them noticed the approving looks from the couple seated opposite.

The next hour passed pleasantly. The meal was delicious and the conversation flowed easily as the level in the second wine bottle fell. Maura had been right, Jane did get on with Serena and when Maura and Abby arranged a shopping trip the following morning, Jane suggested that Serena join her for brunch at the Dirty Robber, an offer that was enthusiastically accepted.

Abby was the only one with room left for dessert and when her chocolate mousse arrived she began to dive in with delight. She took a large spoonful and slipped it in her mouth, the moan she let out was almost orgasmic and she could feel her partner’s intense gaze. Abby dipped in for a second spoonful and began to make love to it with her tongue, knowing exactly how hot it would make Serena. 

Jane squirmed as she watched the display covertly, embarrassed to witness something she considered intensely private but Maura looked on shamelessly, wondering if she should have ordered dessert too, not that she was hungry but if she could get Jane to look at her the way Serena was devouring Abby with her eyes... 

Serena took as much teasing as she could stand, but when Abby circled her tongue around a blob of mousse on the spoon in exactly the same way she pleasured Serena that afternoon, her self-control snapped. She grabbed her jacket and began to nudge at Abby’s arm. “C’mon Gabrielle, we’re leaving.” Not noticing the slip, Serena hustled Abby out of the booth.

She turned to Jane and Maura as she stuffed Abby into her coat. “Well it’s been a lovely evening but Abby and I have an urgent appointment with a mattress, so we’ll say goodnight.” 

Maura and Jane got up and the two blondes hugged goodbye. Jane and Serena said their farewells with a warrior handshake.

“So, we’ll see both of you in the Dirty Robber tomorrow.” Serena asked, checking her pockets for her wallet and keys.

“You will. 11?” Jane replied.

Serena looked at Abby who was gazing at her with impatient lust, it was going to be a long, energetic night and she needed _some_ sleep. “Better make it lunch, 1 o’clock?”

Jane agreed. She slid an arm around Maura’s waist as they watched the other couple hurrying for the door, they both grinned as the ever solicitous Henri had to break into a run to open it for them. They retook their seats and Maura angled herself to face Jane, she took a deep breath and began a conversation she’d wanted to have for months. “Do you ever wish that you had a relationship like theirs?” She asked hesitantly. 

“Every damn day!”

The vehemence of the reply surprised and pleased her, she took Jane’s hand in hers and their eyes met. “Jane, I... “

But Jane held up her hand for silence. “No Maura, I’ve been trying to speak to you ever since I got back... woke up.”

Maura looked at her, smiling expectantly. It was an expression Jane had seen virtually every day since they’d met and tonight it struck her just how gorgeous and intelligent and out of her league this woman was, but the love in those sparkling green eyes was so bright it was probably visible from space and that gave her the courage to continue. 

She gazed deeply into Maura’s eyes as she shuffled them both into the shadow at the rear of the booth. “I’m sorry I’ve been so dense lately, some detective, huh?”

“No Jane... “ Maura started to protest.

This time Jane gently touched two fingers to Maura’s lips to gain her silence, and the slight dipping of her eyelids at the contact didn’t go unnoticed by Jane. “Please, I need to get this out,” Maura nodded and Jane lowered her hand. “If I’d thought for a single second that Jack was just to make me jealous, I’d... well we’d have had this conversation a whole lot sooner.” She grinned ruefully. “But ass-sight is twenty-twenty.”

Maura chuckled. “That’s hindsight, Jane.” She patted Jane’s thigh, delighted that it was her correcting Jane for once.

“Oh yeah,” Jane smiled, just happy to make Maura laugh. “I love you.” The three words slipped out, she’d been rehearsing a whole speech about how having Maura around made even the bad stuff bearable, but she realised it wasn’t necessary. Actions spoke far louder than words ever could, and she’d always been better showing rather than telling. 

Jane cupped Maura’s baby-soft cheek and bent her head down, tenderly brushing her lips over Maura’s. She pulled back to check that she hadn’t over-stepped but Maura made a little protesting moan and slid her hand around the back of Jane’s head to pull her back in. This time Maura’s lips parted as soon as they touched Jane’s and two pairs of arms wound their way around slender bodies.

The kiss was everything she’d hoped it would be, soft, passionate and with the promise of a lifetime of love. When it eventually ended Jane smiled and ran her fingers over Maura’s cheek. “Would you like to come back to my place for a nightcap, and by nightcap I mean... “

Maura put her finger to Jane’s lips, supremely happy that she was now allowed to touch Jane whenever she wanted. “I know what you mean, Jane. I’ll settle the check, you call your mother.”

Maura raised her hand and Henri was instantly at the table, explaining that the check had already been paid. Jane extracted her cell from her belt and typed a short text to Angela, which said not to expect either of them back tonight and if she interrupted their night Ron would get glossy photos of Angela’s disastrous 1980’s poodle-perm, she was just about to turn the phone off when she got an attack of conscience and quickly typed another text.

_I’ll explain at dinner on Sunday, love you. J x_

Then she turned the phone off. As she clipped it back on her belt she noticed Maura putting a folded piece of paper in her purse. 

“What was that?”

“Nothing important.”

Jane pointed over Maura’s shoulder. “Isn’t that Yo-Yo Ma?” 

Maura turned to look saying, “I thought he was touring Europe.”

Jane nabbed her purse and pulled the note out. 

_Be gentle with her, Maura. Love Xena and Gabrielle._

“You knew!”

“Knew what?” Maura asked trying and failing to look innocent.

Jane pulled out her best suspect-wilting stare and Maura gave in immediately. “I know that they both think they’re immortals and that Serena was an ancient Greek warrior and Abby was a bard.”

“Well you could have said something, I thought I was going mad.”

“Jane, there are so many unexplained phenomena... Just a moment, how did _you_ know, you only met them tonight?“

Jane slung her arm across Maura’s shoulders and steered her out of the restaurant to hail a cab. “While I was unconscious I had this dream...”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is a little known fact that every time ‘oh god’ is moaned/screamed/gasped during lovemaking it goes straight to the ears of Aphrodite. And that night the scantily clad Goddess of Love felt especially smug knowing that she helped make two couples _very_ happy. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In their hotel room, Xena and Gabrielle were sharing a glass of wine after round one... well round one and a half to be precise – Xena always was an over achiever when it came to pleasing her bard. 

Gabrielle’s phone beeped and she picked it off of the nightstand to read the text. “It’s from Maura, just says ‘mission accomplished’. 

Xena grinned. “’Bout time too.” She looked down the length of Gabrielle’s deliciously naked body. “This immortal life certainly has its moments.”

Gabrielle giggled. “It certainly does. Wanna play Warlord and Virgin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, so they're together at last. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter. 
> 
> Not sure whan the next one will be up, cos you know tis the season and all that.
> 
> Happy holidays.
> 
> Kim.x


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finished this chapter sooner than expected, so I thought I might as well post it.
> 
> Just the epilogue to go which should be up before New Year.

Serna and Abby walked into the Dirty Robber. They looked around for their friends and, spotting them at a table, strolled over. Maura, polite as ever got to her feet to greet them but Jane remained seated, too exhausted from last night’s festivities. 

“Good afternoon Abby, Serena.” Maura smiled warmly.

“Hi Maura, how are you today?” Abby asked, returning the grin.

“Absolutely fantastic. I must say a night of great sex does wonders for my mental and physical well-being.”

Jane looked sharply at her girlfriend, while she agreed whole-heartedly with Maura she wasn’t really comfortable with her direct way of sharing. Abby’s smile broadened, glad that her friends had finally got together.

Serena dropped into Maura’s empty seat, she nodded nonchalantly at Jane. Her greeting was more concise. “Jane.”

Jane nodded back and was equally succinct. “Serena.”

“Good evening?”

“Yep. You?”

“Oh, yeah.” They exchanged knowing smirks.

The two blondes watched this minimalistic exchange indulgently, after all it was their fault that neither brunette had the energy for complete sentences.

Abby thought Serena and Jane could easily have been sisters, aside from the dark hair, identical height and flawless beauty, they had even adopted similar seating positions. Both were slumped in their chairs, with their long legs stretched out, crossed at the ankle and arms folded on their chests. Their expressions were identical too, sated, tired and slightly smug. They were casually – although their girlfriends would have termed it scruffily – dressed. The neck band of Jane’s long sleeved Red Sox jersey was barely attached to the body and there was a faded reddish brown area that looked to Abby like an old barbeque sauce stain. Serena’s light grey henley was mis-buttoned and virtually shapeless from years of use. The velvet-soft, old jeans had holes at the knee that were from wear rather than a designer’s pen. But time was a-wasting and there were bargains to be had, she turned to Maura. “Ready to give the plastic a workout?” Abby was really looking forward to the afternoon, shopping was not one of her partner’s many skills.

Serena was well aware how easily Gabrielle got carried away when shopping. “Try to leave me a little cash, will ya. Enough for lunch at least.” They exchanged glances and Jane could almost feel the heat in their gaze.

“Oh get a room you two.” She mock grouched. 

Serena winced and shifted carefully in her chair. “Have a heart, Jane. I haven’t recovered from last night yet.”

Maura turned to Abby. “Shall we?”

Abby threaded her arm through Maura’s. “We shall.”

And they walked out of the door. Twin necks angled sideways to watch perk rear ends sashay outside.

Jane blinked as the closing door cut off her view, she noticed that Serena’s eyes were still locked onto the doorway. “Perv.” 

She realised that last time that insult had nearly resulted in death and she swallowed, straightening in her seat getting ready to run if need be, but Serena merely grinned. 

“Yup. Coffee?”

Jane relaxed again. “Hell yes! But I’ll get ‘em.” She struggled to her feet and walked over to the bar, returning a few moments later with 2 coffees laden with cream and sugar. 

Serena lifted her cup. “To love.” 

They toasted and drank, then sat in companionable silence, sipping their drinks and letting their minds wander. Jane found herself liking Serena more and more. Given their similarities, it could have gone either way but Jane instinctively trusted this tall, dark, ex-bad girl, she thought it would be a shame when Xena’s vacation was over and she had to go back to the Big Apple. A memory of standing in Maura’s dressing room and discussing their dinner companions surfaced.

“So Maura you talk to in New York. Me, I get dragged back to ancient Greece.”

“She told you that, huh?”

“She did.” Jane waited for the explanation.

“Blame Aphrodite, she’s the one that did the dragging. You turned up at a _really_ inconvenient moment,” she took a swig of coffee and thought for a second. “Although, if you’d arrived 10 minutes later, I’d’ve probably chakramed your head off.” Serena grinned to show that she was kidding and Jane grinned back, after last night she knew just how frustrating that would have been. 

They drained their mugs and Serena got up for refills. The door opened and Korsak walked in, looking odd in his off duty clothes of baggy cords and sweatshirt. He looked around, nodded to Jane and walked up to Serena who was still being served.

“Vince Korsak. Good to finally meet you in person,” he held out a hand.

Serena shook it firmly. You too, sergeant. Coffee?

“Don’t mind if I do.”

She looked over at Jane who was watching them curiously. “Jane, it was cream wasn’t it?”

Jane nodded. “But don’t tell Maura. She thinks I have it with 1%.”

Serena smirked, being immortal had many perks and not worrying about her arteries was just one of them. Korsak walked over to Jane’s table and Serena ordered his drink.

“You know Serena?” Korsak asked.

“Yes, she’s a friend of Maura’s, we had dinner last night. How do...?”

Serena rejoined them, she’d heard Jane’s question and looked expectantly at Korsak, waiting for him to answer.

“I’m glad you two are already acquainted, this makes what I have to tell you a little easier. Jane, I'd like to introduce your new partner. Serena Davis.” He waited nervously, unsure of Jane’s reaction to Frost’s replacement.

Jane had a mouthful of coffee, she gasped and swallowed at the same time, resulting in a strangled squawk and a fine mist of coffee sprayed in the direction of the two seated opposite. 

Serena’s lightening reflexes meant that most of the liquid headed in her direction was caught in the napkin she snatched off of the table, but poor Korsak wasn’t so fortunate. Jane watched, spellbound as several beads of aspirated coffee joined together to form a large drip that rolled down his nose, paused at the tip as if summoning courage, then took the leap and landed on his ‘Property of Boston Police’ sweatshirt, neatly dotting the I. Jane leant over and started to mop him down. “Geeze, I’m sorry Vince.”

“I got it,” he took the napkin from her and finished the job. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure how you’d take the news and I’m just happy to leaving with all my limbs intact.”

“I’m not that bad, am I?” 

Vince chuckled. “Tell that to the poor woman you threw hot coffee over just for getting in your way.” 

“Hey! That was a scam and you know it.”

Vince nodded and got to his feet, he bent down to Serena and mock whispered. “There’s a real funny video on YouTube, I’ll e-mail you the link.” He straightened, picked up his mug of coffee and ignored the ‘Rizzoli death-stare’. Just as he was about to leave a small, red mark on Jane’s neck snagged his attention. “Is that a hickey?” He asked just to tease her, not thinking for a second it actually was.

Jane turned bright scarlet, clapped a hand to her neck and sprinted for the rest room followed by Xena’s loud laughter.

Vince had gone by the time Jane returned, she collapsed back in her seat and attacked the now cool mug of coffee. “Don’t see what’s funny ‘bout an insect bite,” she mumbled.

“Don’t let Maura hear you call her an insect,” She said with a knowing grin. 

Jane opened her mouth to protest, then realised who she was talking to and closed it again, the contented smile back on her face.

“I’ll make you a deal, you tell me about your ‘assault with a deadly coffee’ incident and I’ll tell you about the time I got bitten by an _insect_ while I had to live the same day over and over again.”

Jane nodded, her curiosity peaked but it was a story for another day. And as they were now partners, she suspected that Xena had a wealth of tales that could fill the tedious hours of boredom that their job sometimes threw up.

Serena mopped at a small puddle on the table, then said apologetically. “I meant to tell you about me joining BPD last night but Abby kinda sidetracked me.”

“No problem, both our... girlfriends were distracting last night.” 

They paused for a while drinking coffee and reliving the highlights of their evenings. Before last night Jane had always assumed sex was sex no matter who she was with, but it was so much better with Maura. There was infinitely more nuzzling and stroking and caressing and _caring_ involved. The touching and kissing went on long after, what she’d previously thought of as, the finish line. And what had always been a pleasant way to spend an hour became an all night marathon. Not that she was complaining, in fact she was already planning out her moves to seduce again Maura tonight. 

She glanced over at Serena, she was happy that she had this woman as her new partner. And she was immortal too, that had to be a big fat bonus in their line of work. Jane smiled and held out her arm for Serena to take. “Welcome aboard, partner.”

A random thought struck her as they shook on it, they’d more or less disbanded the softball team after Frost’s death but now it felt right to resurrect it. “Hey Serena, d’you play softball?” And then a horrifying thought struck her. “You’re not a Yankies fan are you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and for hitting the Kudos button.
> 
> A happy and peaceful Christmas to you all.
> 
> Kim.x


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little epilogue to round off the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sad news about the cancelling of R and I, but nothing lasts forever. Now, if they can just give us Rizzles...

**Epilogue.**

 

It was New Year’s Eve and Jane was sitting in the sparsely manned bullpen, she rubbed her face tiredly trying to remember the last time the holiday season had been this busy. Thankfully it had quieted down in the last couple of days and having just completed the paperwork on the case they caught on the way home, she was hoping that she could relax for the next few days. 

Meanwhile, her partner was in the lab downstairs, being sewn up by Maura. Jane had learnt two things today. Firstly, that although Serena was immortal she could still be injured and secondly, a bullet to the shoulder still hurt like a bitch but was apparently less painful than an arrow wound.

Having an immortal partner was taking some adjusting to, Serena was even more reckless than Jane, which was how Serena came to have a bullet lodged in her right shoulder. An argument at a crowded bar had gotten out of hand and a man had been killed. Jane and Serena had been on their way home and were passing the bar at the time, they heard the shot and responded accordingly. As usual, Jane had jumped straight in and tried to talk the man into surrendering, but he’d decided that as he’d already kissed his future goodbye, he might as well go out with a bang and make headline news by shooting a cop. 

As she saw his finger tighten on the trigger Jane was convinced her time was up. It was too late for her to draw her weapon so she sent a mental apology to Maura for her stupidity and braced herself for the impact but in a flurry of movement and her ululating war cry Serena somersaulted in front just as the gun fired. Jane leapt over her partner’s body and wrestled the man to the ground, disarming and cuffing him in one efficient move. Serena was sitting up by this point and cursing loudly.

She refused to go to the emergency room, saying that by the time she saw a doctor the wound would have already started to heal, so they drove back to BPD with the perp in the back of a following squad car and Serena made a call to her wife... 

 

_Jane could hear the angry yelling that masked Abby’s fear from the driver’s seat._

_Serena ended the call. “She’ll meet us back at base.” Serena pocketed her cell and reapplied a wad of cloth to her seeping wound._

_“Someone’s not getting any for a while.” Jane understood Abby’s anger but preferred to use flippancy to deal with the fear._

_“No I’m not and it’s my 8 week anniversary tomorrow, so for the next month the coffee’s on you.“_

_Jane nodded curtly and concentrated on getting through the holiday traffic in one piece._

_When they pulled up, Abby was indeed waiting for them, pacing agitatedly on the long steps of BPD. She yanked Serena’s hand away from the wound and ripped her shirt open to assess the damage, ignoring Serena’s protest at being exposed in the street. Serena shut up at her wife’s furious glare and meekly allowed herself to be led down into Maura’s domain._

_They trooped into Maura’s office and told her the story. As soon as Jane said that Serena saved her from the bullet, Maura grabbed Serena’s face and planted a grateful kiss on her lips. Jane and Abby both exclaimed at the same time. “Hey!” And Jane took Maura’s arm firmly and pulled her away._

_Serena looked over to Jane and winked “Forget the coffee.”_

Jane got out of her seat and walked to the break room, she poured herself a mug of the acrid sludge that passed for coffee in the precinct. She rubbed her face tiredly, it had been a long day and she had gotten very little sleep last night – not she was complaining about _that_ , having a love life was one of the ways her life had changed for the better in the last six months.

As Jane’s shift should have finished a couple of hours ago, she now had the perfect excuse to miss the party at the Robber tonight. She smiled, happy they could forgo the noisy crush and celebrate with just the four of them at home, then her smile vanished as she realised that if they stayed in it would be Maura’s turn to choose their entertainment. 

Maura had received the first three season of Downton Abby on DVD for Christmas and she was eager to introduce Abby to the ‘joys’ of the life and loves of the Crawley family. Oh well, Jane thought with a sigh, I need the sleep. Jane wandered back to her desk, folded herself into her chair and sipped her coffee. 

Since that first incredible night in early August, Jane and Maura’s relationship had deepened and strengthened. Jane moved in almost immediately on Maura’s insistence, Jane’s initial protests of it being too soon were quashed by Maura saying that they’d really already been dating for about 5 years and they knew more about each other than her own parents after 45 years of marriage, so what exactly was the point of waiting. Plus, now that Angela had moved in with Ron, she would feel safer with someone else in the house. Jane gave in gracefully, it was what she really wanted after all.

Jane blinked and came back to the present, she stood to go and find the others but the sound of bickering voices told her they were on their way. She turned to see Abby hovering by Serena’s side, obviously still annoyed at her partner’s recklessness but needing to be close. 

“Look Gabrielle, I’ll be healed in the morning, there won’t even be a scar.”

“I know Xena, but I’m allowed to worry aren’t I?”

Jane noted idly that at times of stress they both lapsed into using their real names.

Serena cupped her wife’s face. “Of course, love but it’s my job and I can’t stand by if my partner’s in danger.”

Abby took one of Serena’s hands and kissed the palm. “Okay.” Their gaze held for a few seconds and just like that the argument was over.

Maura walked over to Jane with a smile.

“Everything okay, we good to go?” Jane asked, slipping into her jacket.

“Yes, the wound had already started to heal and she just needed the one stitch in the end.”

“Thought she got shot in the shoulder.” Jane said innocently.

Maura frowned, confused by the comment. “Yes, she di...”

“Joke, Maur.” She slid an affectionate arm around the ME’s waist and the four of them exited the bullpen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The closing strains of Downton Abbey fought to be heard over twin snores in the dimly lit room. Maura and Abby both sighed, happy that Mary and Matthew had finally admitted their feelings.

“I can’t believe I’ve never seen this before.” Abby said.

Maura smiled and stood, retrieving a bottle and topping up their wine glasses. “I’m just glad to have someone to watch it with that doesn’t fall asleep during the opening credits.”

Both women looked at their partners, they were sprawled over the couch and competing in a ‘who’s can make the weirdest sound contest’. Jane was marginally in the lead with a snort at the end of each snore but Serena was fighting back heroically with a whistling noise on every inhale. The two brunettes were seated together and over the course of their evening nap had slid closer. Serena’s head was resting at an angle on the back of the couch, just above Jane’s shoulder.

Abby eyed the two women and an evil idea blossomed. She leaned over Serena and delicately tickled her cheek. Serena stirred and twitched but didn’t wake, she moved her head away from the irritation and nestled against Jane, who, in her sleep, assumed it was Maura and adjusted herself to cuddle closer. As the women dropped back into the land of nod, Abby took out her phone and snapped a couple of pictures, then switched to video mode.

Maura started to chuckle. “Aww, look how adorable they are.”

The sound of both women laughing stirred the sleepers and they gradually surfaced from their sleep. Waking next to another person was an everyday occurrence for them both and they always gave their partner a kiss to start the day. Moving on autopilot, they snuggled closer and puckered their lips in anticipation. It was Serena who realised something was wrong first, the woman in her arms was too big to be Abby and her eyes sprang open in shock. She leapt to her feet closely followed by a startled Jane, they heard giggling and turned to the two blondes.

“Did you two have a nice nap?” Maura asked innocently, spoiling it by laughing. 

Abby, eagerly filming the whole scene said. “Wave to the camera, Serena. No, use your whole hand, please.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

They toasted in the new year with Champagne and kisses, then sang the obligatory auld lang syne led by the hauntingly beautiful voice of Serena. Jane and Maura said their goodbyes and waved from the front door as Serena and Abby walked the couple of blocks home.

A feeling of well-being came over Jane. She was starting to feel right again, the pain of losing Frost had finally receded to a dull ache, she found she could think of the good times and not just dwell on his passing. She was in love with an amazing woman and now had a partner at work that she could completely open up to. Korsak was great but he would always feel more like a parent than a confidant. Her ma was settled with Ron and Frankie had started to date Nina. Life was good.

Jane felt she was finally letting go of the bad parts of her past and was ready to embrace all that the following year had to offer, thanks to the wonderful woman in her arms. She wasn’t one for making resolutions but vowed that by this time next year Maura would be her wife and decided to find out how Maura felt about tying the knot.

She took Maura’s smaller hand in her own and led them upstairs to bed. “So, will you take my name or d’you wanna be hyphenated?” 

Maura stopped walking. “Are you proposing, Jane?”

“Well, no, not yet. Just feeling things out really.”

They resumed climbing the stairs. 

“Good, because I’ll need plenty of warning if we’re going to book Fenway Park... “

 

The end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's all she wrote, folks. Although, I am thinking of a FIN fix to explain how Xena and Gabrielle became immortal - if I can summon the courage to watch Friend In Need again.
> 
> Thanks for reading/kudos/comments. 
> 
> Have a great 2016.
> 
> K.x


End file.
